Shoe upper lacing machine



Jan. 5 1937.

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SHOE UPPER 'LACING MACHINE- Filed Jan. 8, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jan. 5, 1937. S A 2,066,464

SHOE UPPER LACING MACI'IIBLE Filed Jan. 8, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE UPPER LACING MACHINE Application January 8, 1934, Serial No. 705,741

27 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers preparatory to lasting, and more particularly for lacing rubber faced uppers or uppers having a delicate finish surrounding the eyelets.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine which is simple and effective in operation for automatically performing a novel and improved method of lacing shoe uppers by which a strong lacing may be formed which will not subject the outer surfaces, particularly at the edges of the laced upper, to damage by engagement with the lacing cord during further construction of the shoe.

With this and other objects in view, the present means for lacing an eyeletted shoe upper by passing loops through the eyelets in the opposite sides of the upper and bringing together portions of the loops to permit the ends of a single length of cord to be tied, so that the cord will lie parallel to the eyeletted edges without crossing the edges of the upper at any point throughout the length of the cord. To accomplish this result the machine hereinafter described as embodying the invention is provided with loop forming and supporting needles and means acting on the loops while supported within the eyelets by the needles for withdrawing sufiicient cord to permit tying. To complete the lacing, knot tying devices are provided which are moved into engagement with portions of the loops after being inserted in the eyelets and the same means which act to withdraw the loop portions from the eyelets bring the loop portions together at a point where they may be operated upon by the knot tying devices.

Lacing machines in common use are provided with needles having round shanks. If the cord is withdrawn with the use of such needles while the needles engage eyelets, as in practising the present invention, one portion of a loop may become entangled with another during withdrawal. In the form of the invention illustrated, the

needles are provided with projecting side surfaces to separate portions of the loops extending through single eyelets. As herein described,

these projecting surfaces are also tapered to limit the movement of the eyelets on the needles.

These and other features of the invention will be explained in more detail in connection with the machine shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention; Figure-2 is a sectional view of the machine taken invention contemplates the provision of' along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detail side view on an enlarged scale of a loop supporting needle employed in the machine; Figure 4 is a view of the same needle taken at right angles to the direction from which the View 5 shown in Figure 3 is observed; Figure 5 is an end view of the needle showing its relation to the eyelets of an upper; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the machine, taken along the line 6-5 of Figure 1; Figure '7 is a plan view of the carrier for 10 the looper needles and looper fingers; Figure 8 is a similar View with the slide on which the looper fingers are mounted removed; Figure 9 is a front view, partly in section, of the front portion of the needle and looper carrier; Figure 15 10 is a side detail View, partly in section, of a thread measuring and clamping device employed, in the machine; Figures 11, 12 and 13 are sectional plan views of portions of the device shown in Figure 10, taken along the line i'i-l l, indi- 20 eating successive steps of operation; Figures 14 and 15 are views, respectively, in side and front elevation of the operating mechanism for the thread measuring device shown in Figure 10; 2 Figures 16 and 1'7 are views in front elevation of 25 portions of the thread measuring and clamping devices shown in successive positions; Figure 18 is a view in side elevation, looking from the left of the machine, of a portion of a thread measuring and cutting device employed on the ma- 30 chine; Figure 19 is a view in front elevation of the same device; Figure 20 is a view in side elevation of the same device looking from the right; Figure 21 is a sectional view, taken along the line 2l2| of Figure 19; Figure 22 is a sectional view 35 taken along the line 2222 of Figure 18; Figure 23 is a similar view with the parts in a different position; Figures 24 to 28 inclusive, are views of the cord manipulating parts of the machine, some of which are shown in section, illustrating the 40 successive steps in the machine operation; and Figure 29 is a view of a portion of the eyeletted edges of a shoe upper after being laced in a machine embodying the invention.

The illustrated machine is similar, except as 45 hereinafter described, to that disclosed in the U. S. Patent to H. E. Enslin No. 1,030,573 dated June 25, 1912. In the present machine as in the machine of the patent the upper, after being adjusted in position, is laced, and the ends of the lacing cord are tied, by the continued operation of the machine, after which the machine is prepared for a new operation and then brought to rest. The completely laced upper is 55 ejected directly after the completion of the lacing.

As shown in the drawings, the machine is provided with a pair of parallel loop supporting needles 2 for inserting loops of the cord, indicated at 4, through eyelets in an upper. The cord is supplied to the needles 2 by a reciprocating cord supply needle 6 moving across the outer ends of the parallel needles and the loops are formed by the cooperation with the needles of a number of looper fingers 8. After the upper is placed in position, the lacing is completed by a movement of the supply needle 6 a second time across the needles 2 and by the operation of a knot tying device ill, the looper fingers and needles being moved relatively to each other to eject the completely laced upper. After the lacing is completed, the edges of the completely laced upper may be separated the distance permitted by the amount of slack in the lacing, the lacing taking the position shown in Figure 29 with all portions of the cord at the outer surface of the lacing lying parallel with the eyeletted edges and portions of the cord extending between eyelets in opposite sides of the upper entirely within or between the inner surfaces of the upper.

In lacing a shoe upper on the machine illustrated, the two sides of the shoe upper, indicated in Figure 29 at l2 as being composed of cloth or canvas with rubber facings M, are folded into parallel relation with eyelets I6 in opposite sides in alignment. Two of the pairs of aligned eyelets are then positioned on the needles 2 on which loops of cord have already been formed, as illustrated in Figure 24, the machine at this time being at rest. As soon as the machine is started a length of cord, including that portion forming the loops, is severed from the supply, as indicated in Figure 25, and the cord needle 6 begins to move a second time across the outer ends of the parallel loop supporting needles 2. The cord supply needle 6 of the present machine at its forward end is formed with an open ended eye l8 (see Fig. 22) which engages a portion of each loop (Fig. 26) supported by the needles, and acts to withdraw each end of the cord nearest the eyelet through which that portion passes. The ends of the cord are thus brought together (Figure 2'7) and continued movement of the needle across the machine engages the ends in grippers 20, as shown in Figure 28. The cord supply needle 6 is then withdrawn and the knot tying devices l0 engage the cord between the grippers and the eyelets of the upper to complete the lacing. While the upper remains on the machine, those portions of the cord connecting the alined eyelets do not cross the edges of the upper, but he entirely between the upper sides, and the portions of cord including the tied ends will be separated from the facing surfaces when the upper sides are unfolded by the portions of the eyelets which project above the surfaces of the facings.

The cord supply needle 6 of the present machine is operated in the same manner as in the machine of the patent referred to, in presenting the cord to the parallel loop supporting needles 2. The cord supply needle is provided with a closed eye 22 between the open eye l8 and the shank portion. The free leading end of the cord is carried in the closed eye, as in the patented machine, from the supply. Between the open eye l8 and the closed eye 22 of the cord supply needle, a flattened section 24 is formed to assist the grippers 20 in securing the ends of the length of cord passing through the eyelets. During the first movement of the cord supply needle across the ends of the loop supporting needles, one of the grippers 28 engages the leading end of the cord projecting from the closed eye of the supply needle, as the supply needle withdraws, the cord is stretched between the grippers and a stationary comb 26 at the left of the loop supporting needles. The looper fingers 8 and the needles 2 are moved relatively to form loops of the cord in the usual manner.

The looper fingers are mounted on a slide 28 which is moved rearwardly in forming the loops on the needles. The slide also carries an extra finger 30 which, when the slide is retracted, compresses the cord against a yielding clamp member 32. The clamp member 32 is forked and fixed to a shaft 34 at its lower end to form a pivot for the clamp member. The shaft 34 is rotatably mounted in a bearing plate 36 fixed to the carrier 38 in which the loop supporting needles are mounted. To cause the gripper 32 to yield in clamping the cord, the shaft 34 carries at one end a coiled torsion spring 40 having one end secured in a block 42 clamped to the shaft and the other end engaging the bearing plate 36. The extreme lower end of the clamp member 32 extends below the shaft 34 and carries a set screw 44 engaging the carrier 38 to limit the forward movement of the upper end of the clamp member.

After the upper is positioned on the machine, it is moved upwardly against a pair of work engaging fingers 46 mounted on a lever 48 to properly position the eyelets on the needles. The upper is moved upwardly by upward movement of the carrier 38 with the needles so that the positioning fingers engage the upper at the sides of the eyelets. Simultaneously with the upward movement of the needle carrier 38 the leading end of the cord is released from the gripper by a releasing movement of the gripper in addition to those imparted in each operating cycle of the patented machine. As the needle carrier moves upwardly, the leading end of the cord is withdrawn from engagement with the gripper by a thread measuring arm 50 which moves downwardly between the forked portions of the clamp member 32, the cord resting on shoulders 52 formed on the clamp member (see Fig. 16).

The cord measuring arm 58 is formed with a notch 54 for engaging the cord and an elongated finger portion 56 extending downwardly from the notch. The upper end of the measuring arm is provided with a slot 58 through which a supporting pin 60 extends. The pin 60 passes through a bifurcated arm of a lever 62 pivotally mounted on a screw 64 threaded into a bracket 65 fastened to the machine frame. The carrier 38 for the needles supports on its upper right side, a reversely bent rod 66 having an integral plate 61 at its lower end secured by means of screws 68 to the right side of the carrier frame, and the upper end of this rod, bent at right angles, engages a slot in the lever 62 so that when the carrier is raised, the lever 62 is rocked about its pivot to the dot-dash position of Figure 14. The cord measuring arm 50 is thus moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure 16 to that shown in Figure 17. During this downward movement, the clamp member 32, being mounted on the carrier, also moves upwardly so that the combined movements of the carrier and measuring arm act to form a bight of a predetermined length in the cord, as shown in Figure 17.

To vary the amount of cord withdrawn by the thread measuring arm 58, the upper end of the arm carries a sliding block I0 clamped to the arm by a screw 12. During the upward movement of the needle carrier and consequent downward movement of the pin 60 on the arm 62, the block 10 is engaged by the forked upper end 7 of a link I4 pivoted at its lower end on the pin 68. The forked portion of the link I4 embraces the upper end of the arm and forces the block I0 downwardly, the extent of movement of the measuring arm being governed by the position of the block on the arm. During the downward movement of the carrier, the upward movement of the arm 58 is limited by a fixed stop arm I6 extending upwardly from the frame of the machine and being bent to overlie the upper end of the measuring arm 50. The lower end of the measuring arm is limited in its rearward movement by a web 18 formed between the forked portions of the cord clamp member 32. The length of thread withdrawn by the thread measuring arm regulates the amount of separation permitted between the sides of the upper after being laced and by raising or lowering the block I9 on the thread measuring arm the space between the laced upper sides may be varied.

When the looper fingers 8 are moved forwardly to release the upper after completing the lacing, the extra finger 38 releases the cord from the clamp member 32 and permits it to be withdrawn, the measuring arm 50 swinging outwardly slightly about its pivot 66. Thereafter the leading end of the cord is engaged with the grippers 26 and loops formed on the needles in the usual manner for a new operation. In moving backwardly, the looper fingers again engage the cord with the clamp member 32, causing the cord to be bent somewhat between the finger 38 and the adjacent finger 8 at the right by the measuring arm 50. Inasmuch as the measuring arm is in its lowered position, the cord cannot engage the notch 54 in the arm at this time. After the loop forming operation, the carrier again moves downwardly somewhat to permit a new upper to be engaged with the needles. ment, the measuring arm 50 and a member 32 are separated and the cord permitted to assume more nearly a straight line across the forked portions of member 32 ready for a new measuring operation, as shown in Figures 12 and 13.

During the upward movement of the carrier after the upper has been positioned on the machine, a length of cord of sufficient length to complete the lacing is withdrawn from the supply between the cord needle and the loop supporting needles, and the cord is severed, after the measured length has been withdrawn, by a thread cutter cooperating with the comb 26. The thread cutter employed at the right side of the patented machine, adjacent the grippers 20, has been omitted from the present machine.

The comb 26 is formed with a series of aligned openings 89, 82 and 84 through which the cord needle 6 passes. The openings 82 and 84 are key-hole shaped with slotted portions into which the cord is carried after being engaged with the looper fingers (see Figs. 6 and 21). During fur ther downward movement of the carrier 38, before the machine comes to rest and after the loop forming operation is completed, the cord extending through the slots of openings 82 and 84 is engaged by a hook member 86 sliding at right angles to the cord between the right hand portions of the comb. The lower end of the hook member is formed with a barb behind which the cord During this downward move-.

moves as the hook member is lowered. In moving behind the barb in hook member 86, the cord is forced behind the barb of a second hook member 88. When the machine is started in operation the hook member 86 is moved upwardly from the position shown in Figures 18 to 22 into the position shown in Figure 23. At the same time, the second hook member 88 which is arranged to operate between the left hand portions of the comb 26, moves upwardly to force the cord extending between the supply needle 6 and the hook member 86 against a stationary knife 90 positioned closely to the comb portion through which the opening 80 extends. As the machine continues in operation, the cord is cut and the severed end withdrawn by the second movement of the cord needle.

To operate the hook members 86 and 88 a second rod 92 is mounted on the left hand side of the carrier 38 by screws 94 (see Fig. 6). The upper end of the rod 92 is slotted and is connected with an arm 96 by a pin 98 passing through the upper end of the rod and through a slot I88 formed in the arm 96. One end of the arm is fulcrumed on a fixed stud screw I62 and the free end of the arm in the form of a yoke embraces a fixed vertical plate I84. The plate I94 is formed with a right angle mounting flange portion I06 secured to the frame of the machine by screws I88 (see Fig. 1). The lower end of the plate I04 carries the comb 26 which is formed with an upwardly extending flange fastened by screws I98 to the plate. The lower end of the plate also supports the knife 98 in fixed relation to the comb and the hook members 86 and 88 are slidingly mounted on the plate. The hook member 86 extends upwardly from the comb 26 and is provided with longitudinal slots I I6 engaged by screws I I2 secured in the plate I64. The hook member 88 is loosely surrounded at its upper and intermediate portions by guideways formed on the plate I84 so that both hook members may be moved perpendicularly to the length of the cord extending through the openings 86, 82 and 84.

The carrier 38 in moving upwardly raises the arm 96 through rod 92, causing the forked end of the arm to engage a pin I I I on the hook member 86. Further movement of the arm 96 raises the hook member 85 until the pin. III engages a clamp block II6 secured to the shaft of hook member 88 by means of a set screw III'. Thereafter, hook member 88 acts to move the cord against the knife 96, severing the cord. The extent of movement of hook member 86 before hook member 88 length of cord measured between openings 82 and 84 of the comb. By changing the position of the clamp block II6 on the hook member 88 the length of cord measured may be adjusted. The cord being clamped by the clamp member 32 between the parallel needles, the measured length cannot be drawn except from the supply, and the amount drawn from the supply determines the amount of cord which is available for tying the knot. When the carrier 38 is again depressed after the upper is laced, the yoked end of the arm 96 engages pins H4 and H5 on the hook members 86, 88 respectively, to cause the members to be moved downwardly to their lowered positions. To form the loops in the leading end of the cord for a new operation, the carrier 38 is again raised and lowered but, there being no cord in the openings 88, 82 and 84, no difiiculty from these extra operations occurs.

In order to prevent the new leading end of the is actuated determines the 4 cord carried by the needle from being caught by the grippers 20 after the hook member 88 acts to sever the cord, the grippers 20 are so operated that they will grasp the ends of the untied cord length during the second movement of the cord carrying needle 6, before the new leading end in the closed eye of the needle reaches a position where it may be gripped. Continued movement of the cord needle causes the ends of the untied cord length engaged in the grippers to be withdrawn from the open eye of the needle and the leading end of the cord carried in the closed eye 22 of the needle to move idly past.

In operating the machine designed to practice the present invention it has been found desirable to so arrange the loops that the loop portions withdrawn from the parallel needles 2 by the cord supply needle 6 will both travel in the same direction through the open eye I8. If the ends of the cord move in opposite directions through the open eye of needle 6 while positioning the ends in the grippers, frictional engagement between the cord ends is likely to cause entanglement. To insure that both ends will travel in the same direction while being withdrawn from the eyelets, opposite side portions of each of the respective loops are presented to the cord needle 6 during its second movement. The loop supporting needle 2, after the loops are formed, are therefore rotated in opposite directions to turn opposite loop portions to positions to be engaged by the needle 6. The loop supporting needles 2 are formed with the same shape but with component parts in reverse arrangement.

Each loop supporting needle 2 of the machine is provided with a barbed lacing slot II8 extending transversely of the length of the needle at its free end and opening at the side of the shank, the barb being at the rear of the slot. Further down the shank of each needle is formed a clearance recess H9 at right angles to the lacing slot across which one portion of the cord loop is supported by the tension imparted thereto during formation of the loops. The clearance recess in one needle is formed on the opposite side from that in the other so that when both needles are rotated approximately 90 degrees, together in opposite directions from positions in which the lacing slots are aligned, the clearance recesses H9 will be in such position as to permit passage of the cord supply needle 6 in withdrawing the ends of the lacing cord. To assist further in causing the ends of the lacing cord to freely be withdrawn from the eyelets without becoming entangled with those portions of cord which remain in the eyelets, the shank portions of each needle spindle are provided with laterally projecting surfaces I20 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). These surfaces are tapered from the free end of the needles towards the fixed ends so as to definitely fix, longitudinally of the needles, the positions of the eyelets impaled thereon. By bringing the eyelets into firm engagement with both sides of each needle 2, separated spaces, indicated at I23, Figure 5, are provided through which the ends of the severed length of lacing may be freely withdrawn.

The needles are rotated at the proper time in each operation of the machine by pins I22 (see Fig. 8) extending from the rearward end of needle sockets I24 rotatably mounted in the carrier 38. The pins I22 project into a slotted bar I26 operated by bell cranks I28 engaging the looper finger slide 28. To cause the needles to be rotated in opposite directions, the pins I22 are arranged eccentrically on opposite sides of the centers of rotation of the shanks I24, so that a single up or down movement of the slotted bar I26 will cause the proper rotation.

In order that the construction of the parts may be simplified, the looper finger 30 is formed integrally with a plate I29 carrying also the pair of looper fingers 8 which surround the needle 2 at the right of the machine (Fig. '7) This plate is slotted to provide clearance for the cord measuring arm 50 and is permanently fixed to the looper finger slide 28. The looper fingers 8 surrounding the left hand needle are in the same form as in the patented machine slidably arranged on the looper finger slide 28 so that the distance between the needles 2 may be changed. These looper fingers are connected together by a link I30 through which screws I32 pass into the supports for the looper fingers. To shift the needle and looper fingers at the left of the machine in changing the spacings between the needles, a hand operated lever I34 is provided (Fig. 9). The lever I34 is pivoted at its upper end on a pin I36 secured to the needle carrier 38 and the central portion of the lever is connected by a link I38 to a block I40 in which the socket for the left hand needle is rotatably mounted. Connections between the needle block I40 and the looper fingers as in the patented machine cause the looper fingers 8 to move with the left hand needle.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated, and a machine embodying the several features of the invention having been specifically described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers preparatory to lasting having, in combination, means for measuring from a supply of cord a length sufficient to extend between separated eyelets of an upper, and to form loops extending through the eyelets, needles for supporting the loops before the upper is presented to the machine, means for severing the cord between the upper and the supply after the loops are passed through eyelets in the upper, means for withdrawing each end of the cord through the eyelet nearest said end, and means for tying one withdrawn end to the other.

2. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, a plurality of needles for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form loops in the cord before presenting the upper to the machine, and means for Withdrawing a leg of each loop from the eyelets when the latter are impaled on the needles.

3. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, a plurality of needles for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form a series of loops, knot tying devices, and means for withdrawing a leg of each loop through the eyelets when impaled on the needles and for bringing together the leg portions at suitable positions to be operated upon by the knot tying devices.

4. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, a plurality of needles for inserting a length of'lacing cord through eyelet holes of an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form a series of loops, knot tying devices, and means acting successively on the loops carried by the needles to withdraw one leg of each loop while the other leg of each loop remains in the eyelets and to bring together the withdrawn leg portions at suitable positions to be operated upon by the knot tying devices.

5. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, means for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper comprising looper fingers and a pair of rotatable needles each formed with a barbed transverse lacing slot and a clearance recess across which one portion of the cord supported by the lacing slot extends, the clearance recess being formed in each needle of the pair at the side opposite that in which the clearance recess is formed in the other.

6. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, means for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper comprising looper fingers and a pair of rotatable needles each formed with a barbed transverse lacing slot and a clearance recess across which one portion of the cord supported by the lacing slot extends, the clearance recess being formed in each needle of the pair at the side opposite that in which the clearance recess is formed in the other, a reciprocating supply needle for engaging the cord on both of the rotatable needles, and means for rotating one needle in one direction and the other needle simultaneously in the opposite direction first to aline the lacing slots and then to aline the clearance recesses for passage of the supply needle.

'7. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel needles for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form a series of loops in the cord, and a reciprocating supply needle having a closed eye in which is carried the leading end of the lacing cord and an open eye in which portions of the loops supported by the cord inserting needles are engaged to withdraw said portions from eyelets impaled on the parallel needles.

8. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, looper fingers and rotatable needles for forming loops in a lacing cord to insert the cord through eyelets in an upper, and means for rotating the needles simultaneously in relatively opposite directions after the loops are formed.

9. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, looper fingers and rotatable needles for forming loops in a lacing cord to insert the cord through eyelets in an upper, knot tying devices, a reciprocating member for withdrawing the cord ends through the eyelets and presenting them to the knot tying devices, and means for rotating one needle in the opposite direction from the other before the ends of the cord are presented to said devices.

10. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel needles for inserting loops of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, a cord supply needle formed with an open eye at its free end and a closed cord carrying eye between its ends, and means for reciproeating the supply needle alternately first to lay a length of cord across the parallel needles and then to bring together in the open eye of the supply needle portions of the cord on the parallel needles.

11. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel needles for inserting loops of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, knot tying devices, a gripper, a cord sup ply needle formed with an open eye at its free end and a closed cord carrying eye between its ends, and means for reciprocating the supply needle alternately, first to extend a length of cord from the gripper across the parallel needles and then to bring together portionsof the cord on the parallel needles into positions to be operated upon by the knot tying devices.

12. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, cord inserting means, grippers, and knot tying devices arranged between the inserting means and the grippers, means for supplying a length of cord to extend from the grippers across the inserting means, thereafter for withdrawing the ends of the cord through eyelets in the upper and for simultaneously engaging with the grippers both ends of the cord at a position to be operated upon by the knot tying devices and a pull-off for withdrawing the cord from the grippers after sufficient length has been supplied and before the ends are withdrawn from the eyelets.

13. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, needles for inserting loops of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, grippers for holding the cord from displacement during formation of the loops, knot tying devices, and means for actuating the grippers in each operation of the machine to release the cord after the loops are formed and again to hold the cord when the knot tying devices are being operated.

14. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, needles for inserting loops of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, grippers for holding the cord from displacement during formation of the loops, knot tying devices, means for actuating the grippers in each operation of the machine to release the cord after the loops are formed and again to hold the cord when the knot tying devices begin to operate, and means for withdrawing the cord from the grippers while the needles are inserted in the eyelets.

15. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, needles for inserting loops of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, grippers for holding the cord from displacement during formation of the loops, knot tying devices, means for actuating the grippers in each operation of the machine to release the cord before the lacing is completed and again to hold the cord when the knot tying devices operate, a cord measuring arm acting between the needles to withdraw the cord from the grippers when the cord is released, and a cord clamp arranged to secure the cord against displacement from the needles while being withdrawn from the grippers.

16. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, needles for inserting loops of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, grippers for holding the cord from displacement during formation of the loops, knot tying devices, means for actuating the grippers in each operation of the machine to release the cord before the lacing is completed and again to hold the cord when the knot tying devices operate, a cord clamp arranged to secure the cord against displacement from the needles while the cord is released, and a cord measuring arm acting after the cord is secured by the clamp to withdraw the cord from the grippers.

17. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel needles for inserting lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form loops in the cord, a cord supply, a supply needle for applying cord to the parallel needles, means for withdrawing and severing a length of cord from the supply needle before the lacing is completed, and a clamp acting between the needles to prevent displacement of the cord during operation of the withdrawing means.

18. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel needles for inserting lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form loops in the cord, a cord supply needle for applying cord to the parallel needles, grippers for holding the leading end of the cord against displacement during formation of the loops, means for severing the cord between the supply needle and the parallel needles after the loops have been formed, means for actuating the grippers to release the leading end of the cord before the lacing is completed, and knot tying devices for connecting the severed end of the cord to the leading end after being released.

19. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, a line of parallel needles for inserting lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form loops in the cord, knot tying devices at one end of the line of needles, a cord supply needle movable from the other end of the needle line to apply cord to said needles and to carry the cord into a position to be operated upon by the knot tying devices and a cutter at said other end of the needle line for severing the cord between the supply needle and the parallel needles before the cord is carried to the knot tying devices.

20. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel needles for inserting lacing cord through eyelets in an upper, looper fingers cooperating with the needles to form loops in the cord, a cord supply, grippers for holding the leading end of the cord against displacement during formation of the loops, means for actuating the grippers to release the cord after the loops are formed, means for withdrawing the end portions of the cord through eyelets impaled on the needles and for presenting them to the grippers, and means for again actuating the grippers to secure both ends of the cord.

21. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel cord supporting needles for holding a series of loops of cord in positions to pass through eyelets in an upper, and a reciprocating needle arranged transversely to the loop holding needles to engage one leg portion of each loop and to withdraw said leg portions from eyelets impaled by the loop holding needles.

22. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel cord supporting needles for holding a series of loops of cord in positions to pass through eyelets in an upper, knot tying devices at one side of the loop holding needles, and a reciprocating needle arranged transversely to the loop holding needle to engage one leg portion of each loop and to bring said leg portions into suitable positions to be operated upon by the knot tying devices.

23. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel cord supporting needles for holding a series of loops of cord in positions to pass through eyelets in an upper, a cutter for severing the cord supported on the loop holding needles from a source of supply, and a reciprocating needle arranged transversely to the loop holding needles to engage one leg portion of each loop and to withdraw said leg portions from eyelets impaled by the loop holding needles after the cutter has acted.

24. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, parallel cord supporting needles for holding a series of loops of cord in positions to pass through eyelets in an upper, a

paled by the loop holding needles into suitable positions to be operated upon by the knot tying devices.

25. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, means for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper comprising looper fingers and a plurality of needles, each provided adjacent its end with a cord receiving slot and formed with side surfaces projecting radially beyond the surface of the slotted portion to engage diametrically opposite portions of an eyelet, and portions intermediate said side surfaces extending radially a lesser distance than said side surfaces to provide a space at each side of the needle at an eyelet for portions of cord extending through eyelets when impaled by the needles.

26. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, means for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper comprising looper fingers and a plurality of needles, each provided adjacent its end with a cord receiving slot and formed with side surfaces projecting radially beyond the surface of the slotted portion to engage diametrically opposite portions of an eyelet, and portions intermediate said side surfaces extending radially a lesser distance than said side surfaces to provide a space at each side of the needle at an eyelet for portions of cord extending through eyelets when impaled by the needles, and means for withdrawing and connecting certain of the portions of the cord extending through said spaces while other portions remain within the eyelets.

27. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers having, in combination, means for inserting a length of lacing cord through eyelets in an upper comprising looper fingers and a plurality of needles, each provided adjacent its end with a cord receiving slot and formed with a flattened shank fitting the' eyelets and tapering from a point at the rear of the slotted portion towards the rear end of the needle to engage diametrically opposite portions of an eyelet and to provide at the eyelet a space at each side of the needle for portions of cord extending through the eyelets impaled by the needles,

JOSEPH FOSSA. 

